03

Happy New Year!

2014 seems like such a big number somehow. Clearly, bigger than 2013…there is just something that sounds so Grand about 2014. It’s like we are on the edge of modern adolescence. 21st century puberty! We know we are on a path; a zealous mission to find life….. and even though it may seem daunting we know it’s going to be great. The future is bright and we welcome it with open arms and endless possibility!

We have come a long way, photographically speaking and it can only be surmised how much further we have to go. What will come next? Over our break, I acquired a modern piece of technology – that being the iphone! The camera is amazing.Period. And Face Time? Wasn’t that a thing of the distant future barely 30 years ago - when we envisioned ourselves driving space cars and talking on phones where we could see the person on the other side? Now on our mobile devices! Maybe I’m dating myself here, at the very least admitting I am not a techno junkie.

Again, I digress.

Do you make New Year Resolutions? Do you promise to (blank) less or (blank) more? If you do, do you stick to them? Or do you just tell yourself your personal evolution is so constantly changing that a January 1 declaration is essentially meaningless? Maybe your resolutions are non-stop all year round and the path to being a better (or worse) person is always on the menu. Good on you either way.

My rational mind tells me it doesn’t matter anyways since we are always in a constant state of change. That in itself, is meritorious. :)

However your ideas, wishes, dreams and realities unfold for the coming year, we wish you all the best. May our cultural pubescence be full of experience and wonder, excitement and adventure (whether at home or abroad).

27

We know it’s coming. It’s almost too soon to talk about, but there it is in the distant future, coming faster every day. The End of Summer.

While the days may still be long and the nights still warm we are closer to the winter solstice than summer and darn it, the kids are returning to school in a mere 2 weeks or less. We know you have been up to good things this summer. As temperatures soared, the only civilized option was to go to the lake, the beach, a shaded wood, or under a patio umbrella with a cold drink in hand. Hopefully, in the other hand was your camera. What’s your favorite thing to shoot? Children’s happy faces getting sprinkled with a garden hose, the family pet splashing about in the water or various nature scenes as you enjoyed the great outdoors!

To properly honor and officially say goodbye to Summer, we invite you to submit your favorite summer image for an on-line gallery dedicated specifically to this season.

Send us a jpeg file of your best shot, we will post it on our blog and enter your name to win a 20 page 8×10 premium photo pressed album.

If this tickles your fancy, please read on for the rules and regulations around this draw.

We look forward to seeing your best summer shot!

Rules and Regulations

1. This is not a contest. Images are not being judged and there is no “prize” to be awarded. Participants are however, entered in to a draw. There will be one name randomly selected in the draw. The Lab Works will provide one individual whose name is drawn 1 – 8×10 20 page Premium Photo Pressed Album. Any individual whose name is drawn who does not respond to our contact within two weeks, forfeits their draw prize and another name(s) will be selected and the same process will be taken.

** Submissions will be accepted from September 1,2012 until Sept 30,2012. The draw will be held on October 5, 2012.

The image must be provided in jpeg, RGB format, no larger than 5 mb and emailed to smile@thelabworks.com. Along with the image(s), participants must include their first and last name and a telephone number where they can be reached during the day. For any other inquiries, please go through the Contacts at www.thelabworks.com. There will be no replies sent from “smile @thelabworks.com”.

The selected participant will be required to create the awarded 8×10 Premium Photo Press Album through The Lab Works on-line ordering software ROES. ROES functions in both MAC and PC environments and is accessed through The Lab Works website. Building an album in ROES is made simple with dozens of templates to choose from. Album content is up to the discretion of the selected entrant.

2. Due to the theme of this contest, The Lab Works will only choose images that are within the dedicated “summer” theme. Participants are encouraged to submit new images but The Lab Works will also accept old images if appropriate. The Lab Works retains the rights to limit the number of images selected and posted per participant.

3. The image submitted will appear in a gallery on The Lab Works blog within one month of original submission.

4. The photographer retains 100% of the copyright of the image chosen for posting to The Lab Works blog. The Lab Works will credit the image with the photographers’ name. The image will not be used for any other promotional or advertising of The Lab Works or it’s affiliates beyond the dedicated blog post.

5. The Lab Works has the sole discretion to remove any images from the blog site as deemed appropriate or necessary.

6. Images will not be accepted for posting if they are determined to be offensive, obscene, provocative or otherwise inappropriate in nature. The Lab Works reserves the right to refuse any photograph they define as unacceptable.

7. The photographer certifies the images submitted as their original work and the images have never been copyrighted or, if copyrighted that the photographer is the sole copyright owner.

8. The photographer must ensure that they have the written permission of any recognizable model or person in the images to grant The Lab Works the right to publish their images on The Lab Works blog site and they will produce the written permission upon request.

If you agree to these Terms and Conditions and would like to share your image with The Lab Works blog site please proceed with submitting your image(s) to smile@thelabworks.com

We want this to be a fun way to celebrate you, the photographer, who makes our lab so great. We hope you will participate in making an awesome gallery for you, your friends and family, and the community at large to enjoy!